Professor Licht received her PhD from the University of Iowa in 2010, specializing in International Relations and Political Methodology. Her research focuses on how the domestic political incentives of leaders targeted by foreign policy affect the outcome of influence attempts. Her dissertation argues if we are to understand the process of foreign policy success and failure, we must consider both the effect of interventions on leader survival and the domestic cost of providing concessions.

Professor Licht's working projects follow the two-pronged framework of her dissertation, with article length pieces on both sanctions and foreign aid. In co-authored work, she is also pursuing new research on leader incentives and the use of repression, and the lobbying of the U.S. for foreign aid by potential recipients. Her work has appeared in The Journal of Conflict Resolution and Political Analysis.